


One Curse

by FaeriArchive (FaeriMagic)



Series: Calculator Chronicles [7]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, Angels, Asthma, Blindness, Curses, Gen, Old work, POV Third Person, Running, Wings, Wishes
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-16
Updated: 2019-07-18
Packaged: 2020-06-28 14:58:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 6,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19814680
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FaeriMagic/pseuds/FaeriArchive
Summary: This was a story I had written in my calculator during high school, so I warn you that this might be rough around the edges.I'll be retyping the rest of the chapters.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was a story I had written in my calculator during high school, so I warn you that this might be rough around the edges.  
> I'll be retyping the rest of the chapters.

Adam sat on the window ledge and contemplated on his upcoming task. The black night drew him in, and he had to be careful. If he leaned too far, he would fall down to earth. Of course, he wasn't that worried. His midnight-black wings would not fail him if he fell. But he didn't like falling, and he didn't feel like doing his task. He just felt like staring at the blackest night, doing nothing. 

"It's a new moon, you know?" said his sister, Evangeline, Eve, for short. "It's your turn." 

He sighed. His sister always annoyed him like this. "Can't you do it this time?" He said though he knew the answer.

"It's not a full moon, so I cannot."

"I know." He said wearily. He then stood up on the ledge and jumped. The updraft blew his black hair out of his eyes as he flew in the sky like an owl, searching for his prey.

* * *

Ranza looked at the rag of color in her hands.

Again.

She had gotten a participant ribbon again.

She sighed. Her friend, Kesley looked at her in worry.

"At least I made a new personal record!" Ranza tried to smile. Kesley smiled in relief. She was glad that Ranza wasn't upset.

But as Ranza turned around and started to walk again, her smile disappeared, her eyebrows sloped, and her fingers clenched around the dratted ribbon.

Again.

No matter how hard she tried, she placed last every time.

Last.

The others in the track team pitied her silently until she began to smile as if being last was one of the best things in the world.

She may have tricked them, but she certainly didn't deceive herself.

She loved running. It was her asthma that backfired her. But under no circumstances was she ever going to quit track!

She clenched the ribbon harder. She just had to try harder, that's all!

"See ya, Kes!" She said as she turned toward her street.

"Bye. Wait, don't tell me you're going to run home!"

"Bingo!" She grinned and gave Kesley a thumbs up.

"But your asthma..."

"Asthma, smasthma, whatever." She turned around and ran down her street. "See you tomorrow!" She yelled.

Her street was long. She counted the houses until she reached her own home. "58...60...62..64...66...3768!" She slowed down and caught her breath. Her heart pounded, but she felt happy. Fall was the best time to run.

She went inside.

"Track was so tiring, Dad." She said. She went to her bedroom, sat down in front of her desk and heaved a sigh.

She looked out the window. It was dark now.

"Look, Dad. A star." She smiled at an old memory when she said the exact same thing when she was younger.

_'Look, Dad, a star!'_

_'Ranza, those stars are holes, and there is a bright light shining through those holes.'_ He said it so seriously, she believed him.

She had looked at him in wonder and said _'So is that where rain comes from?'_

Her dad laughed and admitted he lied, and she began to cry because once again, she was being treated as a child.

She smiled and picked up her dad's photo.

She missed her dad. He was a pilot, but when she was little, she misunderstood and thought he was an angel.

He died in a plane accident. When she was little, she thought he went to visit heaven, and so she waited for weeks for him to return.

She stopped believing about angels, and she stopped believing about heaven.

She looked at the star.

How did that rhyme go?

"Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight, I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight."

The star twinkled. She smiled. What could she wish for?

For the heck of it, she said: "I wish I had wings."

The star twinkled again. She laughed. What could she do with wings anyways? _I could fly around the world,_ she mused. But, she needed to stop dreaming. She'll never be able to get wings. She got up and went to grab a snack.

* * *

Later that night, she had a vivid dream.

She was sleeping deeply when the window opened and the curtains billowed into the darkness.

Something came into her room.

A figure.

She sat up, her eyes still tinged with slumber."

"Who...?" She said.

The light turned on, though she didn't switch it on.

A boy stood in front of her, a boy she had never seen. He had the blackest hair you have ever seen, but his eyes. His eyes were bright. She had thought it was the light's glare, but she soon realized they were not bright, they were white.

White eyes.

He was dressed in casual clothes, a black T-shirt and jeans.

She could've called the police, but something about this boy made him different.

This boy... He had wings.

The black wings convinced her. It was a dream. A vivid one, yes, but still a dream.

"You were the one who wished upon a star?" He said.

"What? Oh, yeah, I wished for wings." She laughed. "A rather stupid wish, don't you think?"

He didn't laugh.

"Wings... interesting..."

Her common sense kicked in and she said: "Who are you?"

He looked at her as if she asked an obvious question.

"Not who, what."

"What?"

"I'm a wish-granter." He continued as if he hadn't heard her question. "Every new moon, I grant one wish to a lucky person."

"It's a new moon?" She glanced out the window in mild surprise. "Didn't know that."

The boy frowned as if she was one of the stupidest creatures he had ever seen.

"Whether or not you know is not of any particular importance. Didn't you wish for wings?"

"Oh, I did, didn't I?" 

"Are you ready to give up your feelings?" The boy said.

"What?"

"Stop saying 'What'. It's annoying." He said. "In order for me to grant you a wish, you must give me something I want. That is my policy."

"Okay." Ranza began to look through her purse which was hanging on her bedpost. "Want my NnN's?" She said as handed him a piece of candy.

He ignored it and said, "Are you always so flippant?"

"Only in dreams." She smiled.

The boy sighed. _So that explains why she wasn't screaming!_ He thought. _She thinks this is a dream!_

"I want your feelings."

Ranza blinked.

"What?" The boy looked at her in disdain when she said that again. "Do you... like me or something?" Why in the world would this guy want her feelings? Her _feelings_ , for god's sake. Only love-sick couples wanted that!

The boy looked appalled by the notion of it. "What I mean is... I will give you your wings but take your feelings. Then you will never feel happiness, sadness, anger, etc, ever again.

Ranza stared at him. "Never!" She cried.

He placed a finger on her forehead and she suddenly saw visions of her... flying...

She looked so graceful... so free...

Ranza loved this version of her.

"Will you agree to the deal, now?" He said. His voice sounded like an echo through her vision.

She was about to agree when she noticed her face for the first time.

Her mouth was unsmiling, her eyes were a blank.

When she realized this, the figure in her vision looked dead or drained of life.

"No." She said. The vision quickly disappeared. "No." She repeated.

The boy was surprised. She had said 'no'. No one had ever declined a wish before.

"May I ask why you rejected my offer?" He said.

She looked at him. "I do not doubt that flying is surreal. I would love to take up on your offer. But even in a dream, I know when a good deal has been offered. If I lose my feelings, then flying will mean absolutely nothing. If I lose my feelings, then living will mean absolutely nothing. And I am in no hurry to spend my short life being bored."

The boy looked at her and began to laugh. His laugh seemed to jingle in Ranza's ears.

"So you're not as stupid and dumb as I thought!" He said, before becoming serious again. "You prove a valid point. If I allowed you one feeling, would you take up on my offer?"

"And what feeling would that be?" She asked. 

"The feeling that you feel while you fly."

"Deal." She said.

He was slightly surprised by her suddenness but quickly recovered.

"You think this is a dream?" He said to her.

"Well sure! You're giving me wings! Of course, it's a dream!"

The boy with black hair and white eyes looked at her and frowned.

"It's not." He said.

He kissed her, and she blacked out.

He stood up straight, spat, and wiped his mouth. He kissed a human. Disgusting.

"Kiss to seal the deal, my ass." He said to himself. "So gross."

He then jumped out of the window and flew back to his home.

Ranza laid face down on her pillow, her wings sprouting.


	2. Chapter 2

Ranza lifted herself from the pillow.

She felt... odd. Like there was something on her back.

The thing on her back moved.

It fluttered.

She quickly went to the nearest mirror.

"Oh." She said. 

Behind her was the unmistakable shape of wings.

And she wasn't screaming.

She wasn't dreaming.

Wasn't she supposed to be completely and utterly shocked?

She wasn't feeling anything about her wings. She wasn't feeling anything about anything.

_"You think this is a dream, right? It's not."_ The boy had said.

She had blacked out right when he said that, so she couldn't remember what had happened next.

One thing was for sure: She had traded her feelings for wings.

She smiled.

It was a bright smile.

It was a false smile.

There was something that she had read that lodged into her mind.

_"Just as there are the three basic colors, there are the three basic emotions: Happiness, Anger, and Sadness. All humans know of at least these three emotions and all are capable of feeling them."_

_So,_ she thought as she walked to school. _I am incapable of feeling them, so what does that make me? Less than human?_

Kesley joined her. 

"Ranza, have you heard of the latest Glamstar? The outfits in there are so fabulous!"

Ranza smiled. "So fab." She echoed.

Kesley continued to talk about the difference between lotion and skin cream and what anybody thought of mascara.

Ranza listened. She didn't care. Before, she used to argue about how skirts were so unpractical.

But, she changed. She changed and now she didn't care.

They arrived at school.

"Come on, let's go to English quickly so we can get some more chat time!" Kesley said.

Ranza simply walked quickly.

Was this condition going to be with her for the rest of her life?

Her wings had folded against her: She had already decided that no one could see them.

She quickly raced around a corner and bumped into someone.

"Sorry." The boy and Ranza said.

She looked up.

The boy had blond hair, so blond, it looked white. His eyes were a bright blue that made her think of the sea. It was a sad color.

The boy looked familiar.

"Shinji Carollus?" She said.

The boy nodded. "Yeah?"

She gave him an abrupt nod.

"Nice meeting you."

She went around him and continued walking.

Kesley squealed.

"How fateful was that?" She said. 

Ranza smiled and said "Very." Before she changed, she had a crush on him. Obviously, those feelings had disappeared. 

Shinji Carollus.

He had been absent for a few weeks because his sister had lung cancer.

He's blind. Or at least, he was.

Today, he wasn't using his cane.

Today, he was looking at her.

But, those were his eyes, the exact same eyes, only this time, they actually worked.

She didn't understand how he suddenly regained his eyesight.

Someone tapped on her shoulder. It was Caryn, a popular girl.

"You, you talked to that hottie." She said, disbelievingly. "So spill, what's his name?" 

"Shinji. Shinji Carollus. You know, that guy you were always picking on?"

Caryn colored. "Him?"

Ranza ignored her and went on her way to class.

It was pathetic.

When he was blind, they treated him like dirt or pretended that he wasn't there. But Ranza liked him nevertheless.

Now that his sight returned, they considered him a hottie, and Ranza didn't give a damn about him.

It was ironic.

She entered the class and learned about allegories.


	3. Chapter 3

Shinji held his sister's hand and let his tears fall.

"Shinji... don't cry." She said. He tried to stop them for her, but couldn't.

"Shinji..." She said. "Look at me." He turned his sightless face to her. 'Look at me' meant 'Listen to me carefully.'

"Shinji, I'll... I'll always remember you, okay?"

"You idiot." He said. "I already know that."

His sister smiled and became still.

He still felt her pulse in her hand.

She was still breathing.

She was alive.

She was sleeping.

He stood up and exited the room.

As soon as he shut the door, he began to cry. He didn't care if anyone saw him.

Why?

Why did it have to be his sister? Why did she have to get cancer?

Why couldn't he have gotten it? He already saw darkness anyways.

Why did it have to be his sister who still saw light?

His cane touched his door and he opened it.

The window was open. He closed the door and tapped his cane towards the window and leaned on it.

"Why?" He said. "Why does she have to die?" He said. "It's not fair." The tears were streaming now.

" _What do you wish for?_ " said a voice.

"I wish my sister could be cured, _dammit_!"He yelled, his voice echoed onto him as it bounced off the walls.

"Interesting..." said the voice.

Shinji turned around. It wasn't his head after all. There was someone else in his room.

"Who's there?"

"Not who, what. I'm an angel, don't you see?" The girl smiled at him until she realized his condition. "Ah, my bad, you're blind."

"Yeah? What of it?" He snarled.

"Nothing. That just makes things more interesting." She said. She settled herself on his bed. "What if I could grant you a wish? Any wish, even impossible wishes. What would you wish for?"

"I wish you could get out of my room."

The girl was hurt. "You don't believe me? Fine." She shrugged and went towards the door.

_You idiot! You're throwing away your sister's only chance of staying alive!_ He thought.

"What if that were true?"

The girl paused. 

"Then what would you wish for?"

"I'd wish for my sister to be well again."

"Really? Are you sure you would not wish for eyes that could see?"

Shinji shook his head. "No, all the eyes in the world cannot compare to my sister's life."

The girl shook her head. "Fascinating. Utterly fascinating."

She had thought that all humans would wish for petty, greedy things. This boy proved her wrong.

"I'll give you your eyes anyway." She said. "For being so unselfish."

She gave him the ritual kiss, he collapsed, blah blah blah.

"I pity him." She said to herself, as she exited out the window.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> did i.. did i seriously write "blah blah blah"


	4. Chapter 4

Shinji woke up in his bed the next day.

As soon as he opened his eyes, he sat up.

He held his hand to his face and stared at it.

He could see.

He looked all around his room excitedly, though there wasn't much to see, until his eyes hurt.

_Is this color_ _?_ He wondered. _Then what do they mean by red, blue, and yellow?_

Before, they were just words.

He had known that an apple was red and a banana was yellow, but he didn't really see why it was red or yellow.

That type of information was for the ones that could see.

And now he could see, too.

_I can see,_ he realized. _So that must mean Nina..._

Shinji immediately got out of bed and ran out of the room towards Nina's room.

He opened the door to find his parents still sitting mournfully beside her.

"How is she?" Shinji asked.

"Still alive." said his mother in a dead voice.

A bird's song could be heard through the window.

Nina stirred and got up.

"Ms. Angel.." she said sleepily, as she rubbed her eyes. When she was completely awake, she looked at her parents. "Mom, Dad, I feel... cured."

"Nina?"

"Really, I... I feel all better. I feel great!"

"Nina..." Her mother started to cry sad tears.

Nina frowned. "I'm not lying, mother. I'll show you I'm all better."

She opened her mouth and sang, something she had never been able to do since having cancer.

Her mother continued to cry, but the sadness of her tears soon disappeared. 

When the song ended, her parents embraced her so tightly, as if they would never let go.

"Oh, Nina!" said her mother.

Shinji stood back, smiling, crying.

"Nina." He said. His mother and father let go of her so Shinji could hug his sister, which he did.

"Today is a special day because both of us regained hope." He whispered in her ear.

Nina just looked at him.

"Who are you?" She said. She squirmed out of his grip.

All was utterly silent.

Shinji forced a laugh and said "Not funny, Nina."

"Nina, don't say such things to your brother!" Her father scolded.

"My brother?" She said. She looked at him more closely. "I have a brother?"

Shinji's heart pounded. "Nina, don't you remember? It's me, Shinji."

Nina shook her head. "I don't know you."

Shinji released her and stood.

_'Shinji... I'll never forget you, okay?'_ Nina had said.

"It was a lie!" He said. "You lied..." Nina never lied.

He burst out of her room and went into his.

He locked the door.

He didn't shed a tear.

He didn't know what to feel.

Things were changing too fast for him to understand.

He laid on his bed in shock until his eyes closed in slumber.

The tears escaped as he slept his misery away.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hmm.. it seems like there's a bit of a time loophole here.  
> Eve is not supposed to grant wishes at this time since it's not a full moon.  
> The only explanation that I can think of that can explain this inconsistency is this:  
> Eve and Adam are required to grant a wish every full/new moon. However, that doesn't mean that they can't grant additional wishes if they wanted to. 
> 
> "Wait, then how come they aren't granting wishes to every single people in the world?"  
> You try visiting everybody and listen to all their selfish wishes. There aint enough time for that.  
> Long story short, it's troublesome. So they avoid granting extra wishes if they can. Well, at least Adam does. Eve is a bit more ...eccentric.

He celebrated his sight with his parents later, but it didn't feel the same without Nina.

He went to school the next day.

It was a new experience, to see where he was going.

The hallways were so crowded, he often got confused about where to go, so he had to close his eyes to remember.

He even bumped into a girl, who barely stayed to talk.

He entered his history class and sat down in his seat.

His thoughts were still with Nina. He wondered why this had to happen, and whether or not it was the angel's fault.

He put his head down as if that could make him feel better. It didn't. 

He went out to the track after school.

Not to run, he went here to think.

It was more why questions, but none of them were being answered.

Why did he get a wish? Why at that time? Who was that "angel"? Why did Nina have to lose the memories of him?

"Nina..." He said.

"Omg, that hairstyle is so gorgeous!" squealed a voice.

Shinji winced. He'd know that voice from anywhere.

Caryn, a popular girl who always called him names: "freak" and "sonuva-unowat" were a few.

Caryn was on the track team. And on the cheerleading squad. And on the swim team. 

She was on all the teams that Lanice was on.

From what he heard, Lanice was a sports star.

Caryn sucked.

"Thanks, Carie." gushed Lanice. "Aren't the highlights just lovely?"

"I know!"

Shinji grimaced. This conversation was preventing him from thinking seriously. Their squealy voices got on his nerves.

"Ready!" boomed the coach.

"Oh, practice race! I love practice races!" said Lanice.

"Set!"

"Great, a race," muttered Caryn.

The team got in position.

"Go!"

The girls took off and Shinji watched.

As usual, Lanice was ahead and Caryn was next to last. The dead last girl, he realized, was the one that bumped into him. But something happened to her that made Shinji stand up. "No freakin way." He breathed.

There was no way in the world that anything like that was possible...

* * *

Ranza stood on the track, waiting for the meeting to start. After warmups, she involuntarily listened to the Populars' boring conversation about hairstyles.

She usually was determined at a track meet, but she didn't care about it today. She just came because she committed to this. Quitting would do absolutely nothing.

Besides, running was exercise, and exercise was always good.

"Ready!" The coach yelled.

Ranza made her way to her lane. 6tth.

"Set!"

She planted her feet in position and bent forward.

She could feel something... good. That didn't make sense. She had lost all her feelings.

"Go!" The coach boomed.

Ranza lifted her feet and started to run.

She had no expectations that she would win, Lanice always won. And she would be stuck next to that idiot Caryn.

A gust of wind blew and it automatically caused her wings to open.

She forced her wings to lower, but with the gust blowing, the wings were still open a crack.

The weight of her body was significantly removed and she felt as light as air.

She... She grinned.

It was a real grin.

She was running and flying, two of her favorite things in the world.

And she felt great!

She ran and flew faster, laughing as she went.

She didn't notice that she was ahead of Lanice, and if she did, she wouldn't have cared.

* * *

Shinji felt a bead of sweat roll down his head. 

"No way," he muttered.

The girl who had been last was suddenly first, but that wasn't what shocked him.

What shocked him was that suddenly, wings appeared on her back.

Black wings, blacker than her hair.

He didn't know how he knew that was black, but that was what his instinct told him.

And she laughed.

Every laugh seemed like a bell from heaven.

Every laugh made him feel... happy? Was that the word?

Was this girl even... human?

The other girls seemed shocked, though it seemed they were shocked by their sudden loss than the fact that she grew wings.

The race was over.

The girl slowly stopped running, and as the wings disappeared, her smile disappeared also.

"Ranza!!" screamed a girl.

"Hey, Kesley," said Ranza, until Kesley's hug sent her sprawling on the ground.

"That was amazing! It was like you flew!!"

_She_ did _fly_ , thought Shinji. _I saw. Why am I able to see it and others can't?_

"Wow. That was..." Lanice said. "Awesome!!"

Ranza stood up and said: "Thanks." She didn't care that she was complimented by the most popular girl in school.

"Hey, we're going to the movies after track. Wanna come?"

"I'm going to the library with Kesley."

"Oh, Ranza, you can go, I'm sure I can find something about coral growth by myself."

"Fine," said Ranza. "I guess I'm going with you." Her expression was emotionless.

Shinji's wristwatch beeped. It was 3:30, when he was usually picked up. He grabbed his pack and left.

_Who the hell is that girl?_ he thought.

As the popular girl parted, Ranza turned to Kesley.

"Don't you dare apologize, Ranza Hope!" Kesley said. "You're going with them and that's that."

Ranza put on a smile and said "Thanks."

Kesley grinned and whispered in her ear.

"Shinji has been watching you this entire time."

Ranza followed Kesley's point and watched Shinji leave the bleachers and ignore the flirtations of nearby girls.

"He's interested in you, I'm certain this time," Kesley said.

" _Young lady._ " The coach said it as if it left a sour taste in his mouth. "Could you please get off the track so we can get on with practice?"

"Sorry!" Kesley squeaked and hurried off.

Ranza focused on running.

She wasn't able to fly again and so she was last again every time.

By the end of practice, Ranza's run was merely called a fluke.


	6. Chapter 6

Ranza went to meet up at Lanice's locker after track ended.

"Hey." She said.

"Oh, it's you," said Lanice. She turned to her group. "Girls, this is Rinza--"

"Ranza." Ranza corrected.

"--And she beat me in a race during track."

The group had unconvincingly shocked faces.

"She's going to accompany us while we shop, so you be nice to her, 'kay?"

"I thought we were going to the movies."

"Oh, dahlin, we are, but we mustn't ignore our fashion needs, now can we?"

The girls giggled.

Kesley emailed Ranza after she ate dinner.

"So, how was it?" She typed.

"Pointless."

"The movie?"

"The shopping."

"You went shopping??"

"Yeah."

"So?? Whatja get??"

"Nothing."

"You got nothing? Ranza, when will you ever be fashion-conscious?"

"Never."

"How can you be a girl if you're not fashion-conscious???"

"I dunno."

Kesley sighed.

"Ranza, can you give me a real answer? I don't want to see a one-word sentence."

"Sorry, I don't like e-mail."

"Okay, something is definitely wrong with you. You love e-mail!"

"I do?"

"Who am I talking to!?" 

There was a pause.

"A girl who recently grew wings."

"Haha, very dunny, Ranza. I'm coming over to cheer you up. Why are you so gloomy? Is this about Shinji?"

Ranza looked at the screen. Apparently, the truth wasn't enough for Kesley. She would have to lie.

"You're right, it's totally Shinji!" She typed. "I never know what to say when I'm near him, what do I do?" For extra measure, she typed a few extra exclamation points and question marks at the end.

"Ranza, you are so completely sickeningly in love. You've got good taste, I'll give you that."

Ranza stared at the screen. Pathetic. Before Shinji's change, Kesley was asking her what she saw in him.

"Thanks."

"Np. So, I have an idea to hook you two up!"

Hooking up? The thought never even crossed her mind. She had no desire anyways.

"You don't have to trouble yourself."

"No trouble at all. Anything for a FIL."

"FIL?"

"Friend In Love. :D"

"I'm not in love."

"Then what is this you're feeling, girl? Indigestion?? LOL"

"I'm not feeling anything." Once again, the truth.

"And that's why you need this boy, Ranza! Everyone needs some love..."

"Please don't sing that song."

"Someone to hold in your arms..."

"Stop. Just stop."

":D When we have our hearts broken..."

"Kesley, please stop this very instant. I have no desire to listen to it, let alone see it in print."

"Okay, okay. Don't get your hair all blown up. I'm coming over, okay?"

"No, you don't have to. I'm fine. I'm not crazy about Shinji anyways."

":D My girl radar says you are head over heels. Don't worry, I won't bother you anymore, lover girl. :D"

Kesley has logged out.

_Obviously, her radar was severely off._ thought Ranza.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I mean... they did begin the conversation with fashion, so i guess teeechnically their conversation passes the bechdel test???


	7. Chapter 7

"How's your savior?" asked Adam.

"He just started. I expect it'll take a while for him to discover the full extent of his power, but he sees the Wished."

"Same here. She just started flying. I wonder what abilities she'll be able to tap into next."

"Well, the stage has been set. It'll take a while for the actual battle to start."

"But will they be ready by that time?"

* * *

"Meet me in the auditorium after school." Kesley texted to Ranza.

She loved romance, so she just had to be involved in Ranza's predicament!

She giggled. Step one was complete. And now for step two.

She tapped Shinji on his shoulder.

"No, I am not free after school, tomorrow, the day after, or ever," Shinji said.

"Huh? No, I don't want to date you." Kesley said.

Shinji was relieved. "Okay, what is it?"

"Come to the auditorium after school!" 

"Why?"

"You'll see!"

"If it's a setup, I'm not going."

"Oh no, it's not a setup!" Kesley lied.

Shinji thought about it and sighed. "I leave at 3:30, so I can be there for 30 minutes, but no longer."

"That's fine!" Kesley grinned. "See you there!"

"Meet me in the auditorium after school." What in the world was Kesley thining? She didn't want to go, but, as a friend, she had to.

She trudged into the auditorium as the last bell rang.

There were some students inside the auditorium already, but she paid them no attention.

She sat next to Kesley. "What is it?"

"You'll see." Kesley smiled.

A teacher came onto the stage.

"Welcome to drama club, young pupils."

Drama club? Why did Kesley want to show her this?

"This year, we shall perform 'Black Heart'. It is a lovely story about..."

"Kesley." She whispered. "Why am I here?"

"Be patient."

"...her misery died with her. Kinda like Romeo and Juliet." 

The audience displayed some confusion. Ranza wasn't one of them.

"Nobody knows Romeo and Juliet?" 

The audience said no. Ranza wasn't one of them.

"Then how about West Side Story?"

The audience displayed realization and nodded. Ranza wasn't one of them.

"You literature-depraved students want to do 'Black Heart'? God, what do they teach people these days?" The teacher sighed and handed out the scripts.

"Okay, who wants to act page 56? I need a couple."

Immediately, Kesley stuck her hand up and said: "Ranza Hope and Shinji Carollus do!!:

Some heads turned. Including Ranza.

_So it was a setup..._ thought Ranza.

_It was a setup!_ Shinji thought bitterly. _She lied._

Ranza was pushed by Kesley down to the front. She could see rows of glaring eyes.

The teacher adjusted her glasses. "Mr. Carollus? We need you down here."

Shinji sighed. _'We need you.'_ He didn't have a choice. 

When he was at the front, he took a good look at his partner. _I just hope I make it through this._ He thought.

Ranza said nothing. It was simply more acting.

They got into their positions.

Shinji: Hi, my name is Bob.

Ranza: [ _flat voice_ ] Hi, Bob.

Shinji: How's your life?

Ranza: [ _flat voice_ ] What are you, my angel?

Shinji: [ _stammering_ ] No, but you are mine.

(Here was where some girls in the audience swooned.)

Ranza: [ _flat voice_ ] I don't like Bobs.

Shinji: Okay, my name isn't Bob.

Ranza: [ _flat voice_ ] Then what is it, Bob?

The teacher interrupted the performance.

"Ranza, did you really want to join? You didn't have enough enthusiasm"

"I was requested to come here by my friend."

"That's a lie! She loves acting!" Kesley yelled. The audience snickered.

"Indoor voice, please."

"Give her another chance!" said Kesley.

"That's enough out of you Kesley."

"Just one!"

The teacher paused. "Only one." She turned to Ranza and Shinji. "Continue where you left, please.

Shinji glanced at Ranza curiously. So she didn't want to set up with him? _So it must be that girl's fault..._ He thought grimly.

Shinji: It's Romeo.

Ranza: [ _sarcastic_ ] How miraculous, I'm Juliet!

Shinji: So are we going to die?

Ranza: [ _looks at Shinji with contempt_ ] As if. Goodbye, freak.

Shinji: [ _hurt_ ] Hey, what was that for?

Ranza: Look, I may be the richest girl in town, but don't play with me! I hate love. It's just so pathetic. And your name is not Romeo, William.

Ranza: I hate you, get it through your head.

Shinji: Why, because I spilled juice on you?

Ranza: [ _narrows her eyes_ ] Oh, it's much more than that, William. Much more. [ _turns and walks before turning around_ ]

Ranza: Never flirt with me again! [ _exits_ ]

There was applause and Ranza quickly resumed her neutral face. It made her head hurt, trying to remember those emotions.

Shinji was still standing, looking shocked. He could feel the anger Ranza's character portrayed. 

And he felt... rejection. That was what his character felt.

"Wonderful, you're a pro!" cried the teacher.

"Ironic." Ranza muttered.

"GO RANZAAAA!" yelled Kesley.

Ranza forced a grin. It was strange. It was as if by losing her feelings, she became a better actor.

Emotions were an actor's best friend. They were used constantly.

After the audition, she and Kesley left. "You were so good! You will definitely be the star!" 

"No, I don't think so." said Ramza. She didn't want to have it anyways.

"Oh, sure you will. Shinji will fall for you hard, and if he doesn't, then something is wrong with him."

Ranza pointed behind her. "You do know that this Shinji you're speaking of is right behind us?" Her tone was cool and even.

Kesley blushed. "Oh, hi Shinji..." 

"Kesley, why did you set me up?"

"Oh, um, because..." She glanced at Ranza for help.

"It wasn't a setup. She believed you had acting potential." Ranza lied.

"Yeah, that." Kesley said, relieved.

"I stayed behind, and I found out who William and Juliet are."

"Really? So quickly? Who?" said Kesley.

"Who else??" cried Shinji. "Us!" He pointed to Ranza and himself.

"Oh, Ranza!" Kesley cried. "I can't believe I'm in the presence of a star! Shake my hand!" Kesley shook Ranza's hand. "Autograph my forehead!"

Shinji felt annoyed.

Ranza simply handed Kesley a tissue and said: "Stop crying and blow your nose."

Kesley blew.

"But why did you have to set me up?" Shinji said. He was outraged. "I would've gone out with her anyways, if she asked me herself."

Kesley gasped. "You would??" She was so happy for Ranza, maybe even a little jealous.

"But if she had to use you as the go-between, I'm not interested. I don't want a manipulative girl as my girlfriend."

Kesley gasped. Suddenly, everything was turning out all wrong.

"No, she didn't use me, I set this up by myself! She didn't help in any way, please, give her a chance." 

Shinji sighed. Why was it always chances with this girl?

He glanced at Ranza who still showed no hint of any emotion.

"So? Wanna go out?"

Ranza looked at him, her ex-crush.

"No." She said.

He laughed. "Well that's that." He left. "See ya later."

Ranza didn't reply, and instead, walked home.

"Ranza, why? We had a one way ticket to becoming popular! Your crush was about to become your boyfriend! Why did you say no?" said Kesley.

"I don't care for love anymore." 

"Ranza, it's not the time to practice your lines."

"It's true." said Ranza.

"Ever since I made that wish, I couldn't feel anything anymore. And so I lost my love."

"You wished? And what did you wish for? Wings?" Kesley laughed.

"Yes."

Kesley stopped laughing. "But I cannot see any wings, Ranza. Stop joking."

Ranza said nothing, and only opened her wings wide and lifted herself off the ground.

She did a somersault and slowly descended to the ground.

"My wings aren't for seeing, Kesley." She said.

Kesley was pale. She still couldn't see the wings, but she did see her friend do inhuman things.

"So if you lost your feelings, then what does my friendship mean to you?" said Kesley. _Please say 'everything,' please say 'everything'._

Ranza looked at her.

"It means nothing." said Ranza.

Kesley turned around and ran home.

"It means nothing??" She cried.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter sucks it sucks i was cringing so much  
> what is this  
> some kind of high school musical ripoff  
> the execution is so cheesy it's not even funny


	8. Chapter 8

Kesley punched her pillow.

Nothing?

Her friendship meant nothing?

She sank down and cried.

Her window slid open, and she sat up, scared.

In came a boy. He had wings too.

Wings... those horrible dreary wings.

She screamed.

The boy paused and looked at her, and smiled. "You've got a big mouth." He said.

The insaneness of the statement caused her to stop screaming.

"So, let's get on with the program, shall we? I'm a Wish Granter, blah blah blah, I grant wishes, blah blah blah ramble ramble, what's your wish?"

Kesley blinked. "Are you the one who granted Ranza a wish?"

"Don't know any Ranzas. Why?"

"Could you make her back to normal?" She whispered.

"Oh, Adam's Ranza! Sorry, as much as I like breaking rules, I can't break that one, and that costs you a wish. And Wish Granters only grant one wish per person."

Kesley shuddered. She lost her chance. Her friend will never be normal again.

"Fortunately, I always break that rule, so you're lucky. What's your wish?"

Kesley thought of her lost friendship, she thought of herself. She hated herself.

She made her wish. No kiss was exchanged.

  
The next day, she didn't wait for Ranza. Ranza wouldn't mind anyways.

She stayed quiet, the atmosphere around her was chilling.

Ranza noticed her change. Kesley had become emotionless too. But this emotionless state was different.

Her eyes had an aura as if she didn't care what happened. 

It was similar and yet, different to Ranza.

Both of them didn't care about anything.

But, Ranza had a moral code that she followed regardless of her feelings.

There was no such code with Kesley.

During lunch, Ranza and Kesley met in front of the drinks dispenser.

"Well, if it isn't Ranza." She said with disdain.

"Hello, Kesley."

Kesley ignored her and plinked in a few quarters.

"So, how do I look?" She asked.

Her brown hair had dark highlights, she was dressed in a black shirt and jeans. She wore a bare black crucifix as if the Jesus on it was sawed off.

"Different." said Ranza. Kesley looked pleased.

"I saw an angel last night."

"Really." said Ranza.

"I wished I could change." 

"Is this a good change for you?"

Kesley paused. She splashed the remainings of the drink onto Ranza.

"Good enough? Good enough? I am completely satisfied. I couldn't care less what anyone else thinks, I feel free. I feel liberated." She looked at Ranza in the face. "I want you to know the greatest pain there ever was." She grinned as if such an event would be so spectacularly grand.

Ranza was expressionless.

"Well, I'm ditching. I have to go do nothing at all. See you never, Ranza." She left the cafeteria in high spirits.

Ranza looked on, still wet, but still standing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> that's it. I never finished this series.  
> My final verdict:
> 
> holy shit this series was bad. I did do some more world-building, but it was never delved into my calculator. Turns out, a calculator isn't the best instrument for writing, hahha wooow who woulda thought.
> 
> but Shinji man. Shinji's character, as a whole, was so inconsistent. He adjusted to his sight very quick, and for some reason, no one questions the fact that he's no longer blind??
> 
> I am not continuing this series. If I ever touch this concept again, it'll be from scratch because whooo-EEE this was bad. 
> 
> Thanks for reading this far, though. I respect you, you have a phenomenal cringe constitution! ;; u ;;


End file.
